Meteor Crater's History and NASA Connection

Meteor Crater in northern Arizona is the scar left by a 150-foot-wide meteorite that struck about 50,000 years ago, and it later became a training ground for Apollo 11 astronauts preparing for the 1969 moon mission. The site's official history credits Daniel M. Barringer with founding the operation that bears his name, and its museum documents a 60-year relationship with NASA. Below is what the site itself says about the impact, the people behind it, and why space agencies cared.

The impact: what happened 50,000 years ago

According to Meteor Crater's own account, a giant fireball crossed the North American sky and struck what is now northern Arizona. The numbers the site provides:

The result is described as the best-preserved meteorite impact site on Earth. Visitors can see the Holsinger Meteorite, weighing 1,406 lbs., the largest fragment ever recovered there, and touch its surface in the museum.

Why the crater is named after Barringer

The site credits Daniel M. Barringer as its founder, and guided rim tours cover "its founding by Daniel M. Barringer" alongside the history of the impact and how the earth changed. The museum carries the name Barringer Space Museum, so the Barringer name appears throughout the visitor experience rather than only in historical exhibits.

The NASA connection

Meteor Crater's materials state that the site has a 60-year history with NASA and that Apollo 11 astronauts trained there to prepare for the 1969 mission to the moon. The training connection is presented as a core part of the attraction: the Apollo 11 space capsule is listed among the featured attractions, and the story is told in the museum's exhibits.

For a visitor, this means the NASA angle is not a side note. It shapes what you see: the capsule, the training history, and exhibits on protecting Earth from future impacts all sit within the same Discovery Center & Space Museum.

Meteors, meteorites, and asteroids: the difference

The Discovery Center & Space Museum is where the site explains the distinction between meteors, meteorites, and asteroids, and shows impact sites from around the world. In plain terms:

• Meteor: the streak of light produced when space material burns up in Earth's atmosphere.
• Meteorite: the piece of space rock that survives the atmosphere and lands on the surface. The object that formed Meteor Crater is called a meteorite in the site's own description.
• Asteroid: a larger rocky body orbiting the Sun; the museum's exhibits extend to how we can protect Earth from future impacts.

If you want the terminology straightened out before or after seeing the crater, the museum is the place the site points to for that.

Planning a visit around the history

The historical and NASA content is delivered through several attractions rather than a single exhibit. The site lists:

• The Meteor Crater Guided Tour and guided rim tours led by expert guides, covering the impact, the changed landscape, and Barringer's founding role.
• Discovery Center & Space Museum, with dozens of exhibits including the meteor/meteorite/asteroid explainer and the NASA history.
• Apollo 11 Space Capsule, the physical artifact tied to the training story.
• Impact! The Mystery of Meteor Crater and COLLISION! 4D Theater, which present the impact narrative.
• The Holsinger Meteorite, the 1,406-lb. fragment you can see and touch.

Special events appear on the site's calendar, including Full Rim Hikes (listed for October 24, 2026), Asteroid Day (June 26, 2027), Sci-Fi Fest (July 24, 2027), and VIP Floor Tours. The site shows a "Buy Tickets" option and a checkout page, but it does not publish prices in the material available here, so check the ticket page for current rates and availability before you go.

If your interest is specifically the NASA history, prioritize the museum and the capsule; if it is the impact geology, the guided rim tour and the Holsinger Meteorite give you the direct evidence.